[BC] tube sound (tube transmitters)

[Mark W. Croom]

When I put the AM-1A into WNWC, we were putting not one set, but two sets a 
year of  four, 4-400s into the (modified) McMartin BA-1K. That savings alone 
made it the biggest no brainer I had seen in my career.

Add to that the power savings, and it made even more sense.

We did not buy the tuning unit for the BE, as our common point was licensed 
as 50 j0 so I figured it would be close enough. After the install I tweaked 
the common point for lowest reflected power on the AM-1A (tracking the 
counter readings in case I had to go back), and was amazed at how nicely the 
numbers on the antenna monitor came into line with the licensed values. 
Better than I had seen them in the 4 years or so we had owned the station. I 
probably just got lucky, but it worked amazingly well in this instance.

The gravy was that it sounded much better than the BA-1K and would modulate 
right to the maximum without distortion (the 1K would only do this for about 
8 months of the year, then as the tubes got soft it would sound worse and 
worse).

Mark
MN

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "KKTY" <kkty at netcommander.com>
To: "Broadcasters' Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 8:53 AM
Subject: Re: [BC] tube sound (tube transmitters)


> Ditto. It  got to the point that I was spending $1000 a year (4x$250ea) on
> 4-400's for my old RCA. Between tubes & power savings, I figured that it
> would take 7 years for the new Nautel to literally pay for itself. And it
> never breaks... I think it's popped off in thunderstorms twice or maybe 3
> times over 4 years. (Jeff W, I love this rig!)
>
>
> Dennis Switzer
> KKTY AM/FM
> Douglas, WY